EUR EU Strategy Days Brussels

2024 will be a remarkable year for both the European Union and for our university. As Europe is preparing for the European elections, and the European Commission stepping up its efforts towards the next Framework Programmes for Education, Culture, Research, and Innovation, Erasmus University Rotterdam has started its Lustrum academic year celebrating 110 years of thought leadership, excellent science, and societal engagement for positive impact. 

On the occasion of marking such an important year EUR is organising EU Strategy Days Brussels bringing together the Erasmus University’s leadership and wider academic community, incl. representatives of our students, and engage them in dialogues and exchanges of ideas with esteemed scholars, politicians and policymakers, university alliances, and civil society representatives from across Europe.

This visit of EUR’s leadership to Brussels is connected to the strategic planning process 2025-2030. We started the preparations for our new Strategy, and many EU related dimensions will find their place in it. This EU Strategy Days are in line with our ambition and commitment to become more engaged with the EU policy circles by establishing stronger connections with society, namely other universities, networks, policymakers, industry, and the EU R&I and Education ecosystems.

The main objective of this working visit is raising awareness about:

• the importance of taking a more active role in evidence-based policy making by taking part in public debates on shaping EU policies and programs, and the existing channels to do so (e.g. expert groups, advisory boards, public consultations, roundtables or public conferences)
• the importance of stimulating academics in participating in EU funded research and education related programs and projects, and the available EU funding schemes 
• knowledge valorization – how do we translate better our research into society and markets. 

The themes of our program have been selected in such way that they match EU’s and EUR’s strategic priorities & themes. We will be discussing topics such as: Science for policy and impact, Transformative science for resilient, inclusive and sustainable future, Transdisciplinary scholarship, Futureproofing higher education; Valorising knowledge. In every session we have invited high level politicians (EU Commissioner for R&I and Education and Culture, Members of the EU Parliament), policy makers and funders (Directorate General for R&I / DG R&I, Directorate General for Education/ DG EAC, Joint Research Center /JRC, European Innovation Council EIC), EIT-Digital, European Research Executive Agency /REA), representatives of university umbrella organizations (Neth-ER, European University Association (EUA), the GUILD, UNIC, ScienceBusiness) and civil society representatives (World Resources Institute, Generation Climate Europe), and academics to share with us, from their own perspective, views and vision on the specific topic and moreover to engage in a discussion with us. After each speaker the moderator will invite the audience for comments and questions and that is the opportunity for the EUR delegates to showcase our best practices, experiences and ambitions. In this manner we will make sure there is a flow in the discussion, and active engagement with the audience during the whole session.

Programme

20 March 2024:

Venue: University Foundation Brussels

19.00: Welcome and dinner:

• Annelien Bredenoord, Rector Magnificus: Welcome (5-10 min)
• Meri Georgievska-van de Laar, EU Liaison Officer, Welcome and Intro (5-10 min)
• Maarten IJzerman, Dean ESHPM: Linking the EU Agenda and the EUR 2030 Strategy (10 min)
• Networking dinner

21 March 2024:

Morning sessions:

Venue: University Foundation Brussels, Room Emile Francqui 

Event moderator: Maryline Fiaschi, CEO Science|Business  

09.00 - 10.00 Briefing session: Latest developments in the European R&I and Higher Education areas

Guest speaker: Jurgen Rienks, Director Neth-ER
   
10.05 - 11.15 Panel 1: Science for policy and impact

In this session we would like to talk about evidence-based policy making and the impact science has on society; We would like to hear more about how universities and academics could take more active role in this. Moreover, we would like to share our experiences, with engaged science and especially on how we create positive societal impact, and moreover how do we measure the societal impact of our work.

Keynote: Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General of Directorate General for R&I

Panel (in the order of their initial interventions):

• Minna Wilkki, Head of Department - Future Society at the European Research Executive Agency
• Stephane Berghmans, Director for Research & Innovation at European University Association
• Eveline Crone, former Vice-President European Research Council, Erasmus Chair and Lead Healthy Start
• Annelien Bredenoord, Rector EUR and Member High-Level Expert Group on the future of Horizon Europe 

11.30 - 13.00 Panel 2: Repurposing the university towards transformative resilience – the role science has in the social, climate and digital transitions

In this session we would like to talk about the universities of the future:

• Towards 4th generation of universities (education, research, innovation and engagement / impact)
• Engaged and transformative scholarship
• Transdisciplinary research frameworks
• Future-proof and mission driven education

Keynote: Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director General for Education

Panel (in the order of their initial interventions):

• Rosalinde van der Vlies, Director Clean Planet, Directorate General for R&I
• Salvatore Moccia, Head of Education and Skills at EIT-Digital
• Ole Petter Ottersen, Secretary General of the GUILD
• Liesbeth Noordegraaf-Eelens, Vice-Dean for Education ESPhil, and Academic Lead School of Convergence

14.30 - 16.00 Public Conference: Inclusive and Sustainable Prosperity: Re-thinking the role of universities

Venue: University Foundation Brussels, room Félicien Cattier

Event moderator: Maryline Fiaschi, CEO Science|Business

Our objective is to discuss how universities contribute to sustainable growth, inclusiveness, and societal wellbeing:

• How can we make prosperity inclusive and sustainable, and with that future-proof?
• How can civil society, social enterprises, education and research support in generating this transition?

We would like exchange views with our panelists, each discussing the topic from their perspective:

Keynotes:

• Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation, Education
• Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, Chairman EP’s Panel for the future of Science and Technology STOA

Panel (in order of their initial interventions):

• Martin de Jong, Academic Lead Institute for Inclusive Prosperity
• Michaela Karamperi, New Economy Coordinator, Generation Climate Europe
• Mikel Landabaso Alvarez, Director Joint Research Center Seville, Director Fair and Sustainable Economy
• Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, Chairman EP’s Panel for the future of Science and Technology STOA
• Stientje van Veldhoven, Vice-President and Director Europa World Resources Institute

16.30 - 19.30 Alumni Townhall event: Knowledge valorisation

Venue: University Foundation Brussels

Event moderator: Sue Martin, Director EUR Alumni Office 

• 16.30 - 17.00 Walk-in with drinks
• 17.00 - 17.15 Welcome by Sue Martin, Director EUR Alumni Office and Ed Brinksma, President of the EUR
• 17.15 - 17.25 Inspirational Speaker: Michiel Scheffer, President of the European Innovation Council: valorizing research – how to better connect the EIC and the universities, and how can universities engage in EIC projects?
• 17.30 - 18.00 Testimonials (alumni personal stories)
  • Caroline Nagtegaal-Van Doorn, Member of the European Parliament (EUR Alumna)
  • Rosalinde van der Vlies, Director Clean Planet DG R&I (EUR Alumna)
  • Bart Neerscholten, Tech-to-Market Project Advisor at the European Innovation Council
  • Rinske van den Berg, Advisor at the European Research Executive Agency
• 18.30 - 19.30 Reception (networking & walking) dinner

Registration

Registration for the conference Inclusive and Sustainable Prosperity: Re-thinking the role of universities

Registration for the EUR alumni event (not available yet).

Practical information

The event will take place at Fondation Universitaire Stichting, 11 Rue d'Egmont, 1000 Bruxelles.
How to reach the venue:

• By public transport:
  The Fondation Universitaire is located between two metro stations (Trône and Porte de Namur).
• By car:
  Leave the tunnels at the Porte de Namur exit.

Contact us

Meri Georgievska-van de Laar, EU Liaison Officer or Vanessa Temminck, Erasmus Alumni Relations Team Event Manager.